Search form

OPEN LETTER TO THE PM: Leave our British past...in the past

by Contributor on Thursday Jul 18 2013

Mr. Harper:

I write about your directing our military to revert to the use of British military rank insignias and designations after 45 years of a home-grown Canadian system. I also note that you previously had directed our services to revert to 'Royal' services in name, indicating service under the Queen of England.

My wife and I spent 16 years out of country and were delighted when we came back to find how Canadian identity and pride had grown noticeably. To us, this was a very good thing.

But now, we note you are dragging our country back to the colonial past that is becoming more and more irrelevant. My understanding also is that a clear majority of Canadians want a Canadian citizen as our head of state and not a British monarch.

Indeed a very strange choice of things to do. It just seems so out of place given our strong growth toward a singular Canadian national identity.

I am an independent conservative, have contributed to your party and have served in our military, and I am angered by what you are doing.

Here is my word to you. Your autocratic indulgence of your royal infatuations by tampering with our country's prevailing ethos is dangerous; just look at the example of one of your fat crony appointees, ex-premier Gordon Campbell, who was reduced to single digit support in this province for doing exactly what you are doing - using his office for autocratic, arrogant and personal indulgence. But who will rescue you?

This our country, not yours. But as with most of you people who transcend dissociatively further into your esoteric bunker you will probably learn the hard way. We will put someone in the office that shows us, and our country, more respect.